The Footie Thread

[garyinderry]

No one does punditry like RTE. Here is a clip of the absolute gold we have got to enjoy down the years.

 

[Swango1980]

No one does punditry like RTE. Here is a clip of the absolute gold we have got to enjoy down the years.

No one does punditry like RTE. Here is a clip of the absolute gold we have got to enjoy down the years.

Irish banter?

 

[Pin-seeker]

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer walks into a Bank to cash a cheque. As he approaches the cashier he says, "Good morning, Ms could you please cash this cheque for me?"

Cashier:"It would be my pleasure. Could you please show me your ID?"

Solskjaer:"Truthfully, I did not bring my ID with me as I didn't think there was any need to. I am Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Manager of Manchester United”.

Cashier: "Yes, I know who you are, but with all the regulations and monitoring of the banks because of impostors and forgers and requirements of the legislation, etc., I must insist on seeing ID."

Solskjaer: Just ask anyone here at the bank who I am and they will tell you. Everybody knows who I am."

Cashier: "I am sorry, Mr Solskjaer but these are the bank rules and I must follow them."

Solskjaer,"Come on please, I am urging you, please cash this cheque."

Cashier: "Look sir, here is an example of what we can do. One day, Tiger Woods came into the bank without ID. To prove he was Tiger Woods he pulled out his putter and made a beautiful shot across the bank into a cup. With that shot we knew him to be Tiger Woods and cashed his cheque."

"Another time, Andre Agassi came in without ID. He pulled out his tennis racket and made a fabulous shot where the tennis ball landed in my cup. With that shot we cashed his cheque. So, sir, what can you do to prove that it is you and only you?"

Solskjaer stands there thinking and thinking and finally says, "Honestly, my mind is a total blank...there is nothing that comes to my mind. I can't think of a single thing. I have absolutely no idea what to do. I don't have a clue."

Cashier: "Will that be large or small notes , Mr Solskjaer?”

 

[garyinderry]

Irish banter?

These boys were not joking. They say exactly what they feel and routinely fall out with each other.

 

[Swango1980]

These boys were not joking. They say exactly what they feel and routinely fall out with each other.

Hopefully they've had Naill Quinn on as a guest

 

[PJ87]

Thought we would go out to city..

Looks like we played for pens? I came to bed when it went pens hadn't seen any more of the game but watched the pens on a stream

Foden my word hit the target. Don't miss the first pen for your team

We didn't miss any no way back from that

City won't be going for the League cup this year

No doubt we will go out to some rubbish side next after knocking out both Manchester clubs

 

[DanFST]

City out, good result, I guess.

Worried about playing too much football.

 

[PJ87]

City out, good result, I guess.

Worried about playing too much football.

It's ok we won't be worried about the title so we can focus on the cups ?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

That certainly wasn’t a second string team that City put out as well

Draw on Saturday going to be interesting

Solid performance from some of our youngsters and a cracking finish from Origi

 

[Liverbirdie]

Another player who does it, probably too much, is Harry Kane. He gets a lot of grief for it, people expecting him to circle the penalty spot. But if they watched where he ‘drags’ the defenders with him and the gaps he creates by doing so they’d realise just how good he is in open play without the ball. His goals for himself might be down but the opportunities he creates and the goals for the rest of the team suggest something good is happening.

Another thing worth watching is strikers at corners picking who they want to be marked by. A good defender will recognise what’s going on but a good striker will go and stand next to the smallest defender. Even if doubled up on, the small guy can be used as a shield between the striker and the big defender.

Watching off the ball action, harder when you’re not there, is very revealing.

I know where your coming from, but since Harry has been wandering into midfield Spurs as a whole don't seem to be performing as well, results wise. However, he is a cracking footballer, not just a great finisher.

I've always loved watching the likes of Ronnie Whelan, Nigel Spackman, Didi Hamman, Fabinho in a red shirt, other greats at the same job are Peter Reid, Keane, Viera, Gilberto, Kante. Players who can read the game, break it up and find the same colour shirt again.

Zonal marking - Andy Gray - and the excuse was "if someone loses their man at least you have someone to blame in the dressing room" - sheesh.

Surely you pick the best system for your team, or what the stats back up, whether zonal, part-zonal, man for man etc.

If Rafa's Liverpool let a goal in from a zonal system he would go to town on it. If another team left a man with a free header at a corner, he'd not highlight it. It supplied a narrative for years for divvies who can't think for themselves.

 

[PJ87]

City out, good result, I guess.

Worried about playing too much football.

Think of the positives

More games is more chance for youth players to shine. Kane got so many games for the spuds in Europa for years to work on his game before he got first team .. once we through could put Chester's out for example

Our second string defence still to conceed a goal .. can only breath confidence for diop and Dawson .. imagine diop kicking on and becoming zoumas long term pairing

And we didn't need Antonio in either of the last 2 mid week games to progress so could rest him

 

[Liverbirdie]

To be fair, Jermaine Defoe just sat there like a mute, whilst the other 3 went at it. Felt quite awkward for him. Had they brought Lewis Hamilton in instead of a Defoe, I doubt it would have made any difference to the show. I suspect Defoe was dragged in last minute as Keane had personal issues, who knows.

Exactly.

Yes it can sometimes be a bit annoying if you feel that pundits are being too biased towards their own teams, but on the flip side when things are going wrong the passion can be a good thing to see.

I'd have paid double on my sky for this month for Keane to have been there on Sunday, would have been immense.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Some armchair specialists need to hear what they say to form their opinion. They can't form their own opinion without it.

Over the years we had to put up with the narrative of zonal marking doesn't work because Keys and Gray said so. The media used to go to town on Rafa for being stubborn etc.

I remember the night when Gordon Strachan was in the sky studio as a pundit on a CL night (he often was at the time) and he staunchly defended Zonal marking and educated the dinosaurs of the "only man marking rules" crowd. Strachan was never seen on those shows after.

Andy gray's last word show was hilarious.

I rarely watch the pundits, there was no way I was missing Sunday though ??

Exactly, we've all got a workmate that just repeats what Neville / carragher / their paper says, then when you challenge them on that opinion they fold instead of sticking to their guns and arguing their point.

 

[Swango1980]

If we lived in some strange universe in which fans could resurrect 3 of their ex Premiership retired players to join their current team, in their prime, who would it be? (Yeah, been bored tonight as my interest in EFL Cup disappeared when we got knocked out)

As a Utd fan, my choices surprised even me, and no doubt I'd change my mind hourly.

1. Roy Keane: This was actually the easiest decision I've ever made in my life. No explanation required.
2. Jaap Stam: Ok, got Maguire and Varane, but need an absolute rock at the back. A leader along with Keano in front.
3. Gary Neville: Holy cow, I am mental. However, good football brain, hard worker, vocal and Mr Reliable. Much stronger than Wan Bissaka

My favourite player of all time is Scholes, and I'd have him ahead of Bruno. But, given we have Bruno, felt it would be a wasted choice. Could have picked from a plethora of attacking players, but again felt it was the wrong area to strengthen. I guess Schmeichel instead of Neville would be an option, just to get another massive leader in the team, tho him and Keano might come to blows (after they both deal with Pogba first)

Pretty sure I can guess who the Number 1's would be for Liverpool, Arsenal, Southampton and Newcastle fans.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Koeman sacked by Barca.

 

[hairball_89]

If we lived in some strange universe in which fans could resurrect 3 of their ex Premiership retired players to join their current team, in their prime, who would it be?

I'll take a swipe at this. Assuming our "best 11" is: Allison; Trent, Matip, Virgil, Robbo; Hendo, Fab, Thiago*; Salah, Bobby, Mane. *this 3rd MF slot is clearly up for grabs really, but for me, it's Thiago.

1. Stevie. Easy. That 3rd, most attacking midfielder. And to be honest I could just stop there and not bother with anyone else.
2. Suarez. Footballing genius. Indefensible madman. But sublime.
3. Hyypia. Perfect partner to Virgil and they'd be almost impenetrable.

Special mentions to Finnan, Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso and Torres.

 

[Liverbirdie]

If we lived in some strange universe in which fans could resurrect 3 of their ex Premiership retired players to join their current team, in their prime, who would it be? (Yeah, been bored tonight as my interest in EFL Cup disappeared when we got knocked out)

As a Utd fan, my choices surprised even me, and no doubt I'd change my mind hourly.

1. Roy Keane: This was actually the easiest decision I've ever made in my life. No explanation required.
2. Jaap Stam: Ok, got Maguire and Varane, but need an absolute rock at the back. A leader along with Keano in front.
3. Gary Neville: Holy cow, I am mental. However, good football brain, hard worker, vocal and Mr Reliable. Much stronger than Wan Bissaka

My favourite player of all time is Scholes, and I'd have him ahead of Bruno. But, given we have Bruno, felt it would be a wasted choice. Could have picked from a plethora of attacking players, but again felt it was the wrong area to strengthen. I guess Schmeichel instead of Neville would be an option, just to get another massive leader in the team, tho him and Keano might come to blows (after they both deal with Pogba first)

Pretty sure I can guess who the Number 1's would be for Liverpool, Arsenal, Southampton and Newcastle fans.

OO, can I have 5?

1. Stevie as the RH midfielder in a 3, imagine him setting up our forwards and still running the game. The season he played down the right, I think he got 27 goals.
2. Suarez - Him, mane and Mo, we'd get 150 goals in a season.
3. Souness / Hansen / Barnes - Souness could do the fabinho role with aplomb, run the game and score 8-10 goals as well. Hansen alongside VVD, they could pass it around all day and bring it out into the midfield. Barnes in for Mane as barnesy for 1988-90 on the wing was a thing of beauty, for goals and assists.

The first 2 are nailed on, the others would be the hard one to separate.

For your 3, would agree with the first two, after that would be between Robbo, Van nistelroy and Robin Van Persie. Djemba Djemba if 4 picks.

 

[Swango1980]

OO, can I have 5?

1. Stevie as the RH midfielder in a 3, imagine him setting up our forwards and still running the game. The season he played down the right, I think he got 27 goals.
2. Suarez - Him, mane and Mo, we'd get 150 goals in a season.
3. Souness / Hansen / Barnes - Souness could do the fabinho role with aplomb, run the game and score 8-10 goals as well. Hansen alongside VVD, they could pass it around all day and bring it out into the midfield. Barnes in for Mane as barnesy for 1988-90 on the wing was a thing of beauty, for goals and assists.

The first 2 are nailed on, the others would be the hard one to separate.

For your 3, would agree with the first two, after that would be between Robbo, Van nistelroy and Robin Van Persie. Djemba Djemba if 4 picks.

Or Bebe .

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I wonder if Jermain Defoe, the ex West Ham and Spurs player (amongst others) was on the panel on sunday due to there being another game being shown live earlier that day.

 

[PJ87]

I wonder if Jermain Defoe, the ex West Ham and Spurs player (amongst others) was on the panel on sunday due to there being another game being shown live earlier that day.

Didn't think their was another game Sunday? I mean even in the build up it was united Liverpool ?had another 3 hours until kick off